The most common technique for calibrating a force measuring instrument, such as a balance or scale, involves placing a known weight on the weighing platform or balance pan and noting the response of the instrument. Although this method is simple and easy to implement, it frequently requires a considerable amount of operator time. Furthermore, if the weight being used for calibration is very small, not only will the time required per measurement be long, but many measurements may have to be averaged to provide an accurate calibration. These problems are aggravated if the force measuring device is designed to operate with its force sensitive element submerged in a liquid, as is the case when acoustic wave power is to be measured by observing the force exerted by the acoustic wave on an absorbing or reflecting target.